How many of our best defenders are returning

xavierj · 03-15-2020, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Masterofreality

Oh, Sir, I totally agree.
I was referring to another thread that talked about Broering being on the radio and supposedly referencing some fight between a player and the coaching staff. I don’t follow Broering anymore either but if what he was referring to is true the transfer rule change gives Naji another option.

My guess is that Naji wants to get paid and will most likely go that route due to being older and would be 23 when his eligibility is up. I put it about a 5% chance he returns to Xavier. If he stays in college and decides to transfer that would be about a 95% chance he goes to Louisville. He was recruited by Pegues so that makes a lot of sense if he came back and decided to transfer. Most likely the rule change happens and he can play right away.

Masterofreality · 03-16-2020, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by xavierj

My guess is that Naji wants to get paid and will most likely go that route due to being older and would be 23 when his eligibility is up. I put it about a 5% chance he returns to Xavier. If he stays in college and decides to transfer that would be about a 95% chance he goes to Louisville. He was recruited by Pegues so that makes a lot of sense if he came back and decided to transfer. Most likely the rule change happens and he can play right away.

I agree with this too.
I know this was December, 2018, but I remember a Naji Tweet, that he later deleted quickly, about how he "missed Coach Mack". It's hard to say if he has ever been bought into Steele, even though I'm sure he was one of the players pushing Christopher to hire him.
If he was gonna go the transfer route, Louisewer would definitely be his first choice.

Xavier · 03-16-2020, 09:45 AM

If they allow open transfers- I could absolutely see a situation where Marshal (and scruggs?) go to Louisville, with Jones going as a grad transfer. Not a big chance- I think both Jones and Marshal are ready to get paid (overseas)

Masterofreality · 03-16-2020, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Xavier

If they allow open transfers- I could absolutely see a situation where Marshal (and scruggs?) go to Louisville, with Jones going as a grad transfer. Not a big chance- I think both Jones and Marshal are ready to get paid (overseas)

Jones has exhausted his eligibility.

IM4X · 03-16-2020, 11:46 AM

I will bring this up again for what it’s worth: Naji made a comment about coming back next year at the end of the post game press conference against DePaul (can skip to last 40 seconds)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=esVPReWxaLs

Certainly he could change his mind, but I’m thinking he must still be open to coming back (since he mentioned he was coming back).

I get the frustration so many here on the board are feeling (I feel it too)... how there have been so many issues with the team on the court this season... continuous issues with bad shot selection and really bad turnovers throughout the year, but we need to remember that not having enough good 3 point shooters or even enough BE level players on the court at times, forced the best players to try and do even more to compensate for some of those deficiencies ... and often it backfired.

Personally, I would like to see Naji come back with Paul as seniors with a intense focus on making sure everyone is on the same page and understands their roles on the floor and sticks to those roles... and hopefully we will have enough talented 3 point shooters (Wilcher, Kyky, Scruggs, Freemantle) and mid range shooters (Naji, Kyky, Scruggs?, Odom?) and slashers (Naji, C Jones, Kyky, Scruggs) and rebounders (Freemantle, Miles, Ramsey?, Transfer?, Naji? James?, Carter?) and good defenders (Naji, Scruggs, Miles, James, Freemantle? etc.) to allow players to stick to their roles and build some genuine chemistry... so we can actually get back to good old fashion Xavier basketball.